The “popsicle” deck is the most popular shape because of its versatility and durability. These decks resemble the shape of a popsicle stick because they feature both a nose and a tail that are exactly or nearly symmetrical. Since the nose and the tail are shaped about the same, it’s easy to do tricks no matter which direction you’re headed in. Most skateboarders stick to popsicle decks because of their functionality and reliability.
“I just felt like it was a window of opportunity within my own career. I might be one of those lucky few who’d be able to do that, start my own brand and move on. That window of opportunity only upholds for so long in skateboarding before you miss your prime, so I’d be kicking myself in the ass five years from now looking back and saying ‘how come I didn’t capitalise on that? Here I am, an older skater and not in my prime anymore and I have nothing still connecting me to skateboarding’”

LaderaSkateboards.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Additionally, LaderaSkateboards.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links. We do not specifically market to children under 13.

Decks come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can choose a mini-board, a cruiser, a drop-through, or a standard deck for your favorite set of wheels and hardware. Widths range too from a few inches with a 22-inch board to the wide size of a true cruiser. Some decks are flat as possible while others are significantly concave for optimized turning. You can buy a deck with artwork and grip tape already attached for a quick install or you can get a bare-bones wooden deck to truly customize.
The concave of a skateboard deck is how curved the width of the deck is. Very few skateboard decks have no concavity and are completely flat as then they would break very easily and be hard to do flip tricks on. Steep concave decks are the most study and best to do flip tricks on because the slope of the deck catches the skater’s toe or heel more easily and flips the board faster than a shallower deck. Shallow concave boards are better for cruising around and vert skating as they are more comfortable on your feet and more controllable. In practice, these recommendations are pretty general and it ultimately comes down to personal preference on the the best deck concavity. But if you have no idea, following the recommendations or picking a board with moderate concavity is a good place to start.
The skateboard industry is as colorful and competitive as the sport itself. It’s no surprise that the top skateboard brands all take on that daring, free expression and edgy creativity that is quintessential to the skateboarding community. But it’s not all fun and games — it takes a lot more than producing wooden decks with dope graphics to make it to the top. It takes hands-on dedication and genuine passion for the sport.
As has been noted that Longboard Brand is the king of all brands. For five years, it has maintained the first position without any ups and downs. The survey for 2018 has also given the same result for Sector 9. The attractive design and technical support of this brand have received a maximum score from the customers. It has unbeaten quality, size, riding style, overall performance, safety, and other relevant requirements. If you have the budget, you can undoubtedly rely on this best longboard brand.
After expanding from a successful board brand featuring Pontus’s own art and photography, the brand grew into making a high quality line of apparel that borders between athletic wear and traditional skate style. Over the last couple of years, Polar dropped jerseys and polos in high quality athletic materials, collabed with Converse on a couple of Chuck Taylors, and always kept a steady stock of their classic heavy chinos and hoodies, building up a brand you could literally rock head-to-toe.
Many of the most popular skateboard brands sponsor teams of skaters, like Zero's Jamie Thomas and Element's Barn Margera. Professional skaters are often good sources of information as to what skateboard you should buy. If a pro skater rides a certain board, there is a good chance that if he or she finds that it is high enough quality you will also like the board. Users looking for a new skateboard will want to research a variety of different brands to find the one that best suits their needs, based on function and features.
Theories of Atlantis is a brand that truly defies categorization. Josh Stewart’s brain child has gone through more phases than most companies, first being a means for him to put out his own series of Static videos featuring New York skaters, to now being a full blown distribution house for smaller boutique skateboarding brands featured on this list. Josh also puts out a line of soft goods with the turn of every season, playing off conspiracy theory style graphics and imagery on staple items like zip hoodies and long sleeves.
To help you decide what designs you like most, we included various patterns and printings in our review section. From cherry blossoms to fiery dragons, from checkered boxes to padded pugs, there is a lot to explore. You have to remember that you will be using this skateboard for years/months to come. Therefore, it’s important to choose a design that you think is cool, not a design that will look cool to others!
Longboards are often 8 to 12 inches longer than a standard skateboard. That added length makes them more stable for long rides or high speed downhill runs. Available in a huge variety of shapes, sizes, and truck mounting options, longboards are highly customizable for many types of riding. If you want to push long distances, skate fast down hills, or are a beginner looking for an easy board for learning to balance, check our Guide to Longboarding for more info.

Girl skateboards are know for their witty graphics and high quality canadian maple decks. This specific complete features Mike Carroll’s pro deck and it comes fully assembled directly from the manufacturer (Girl). The reason this is such a great option for beginners is that all parts of this complete are truly pro quality and it’s built to last. The width is also perfect for all ages and shoe sizes at a moderate 7.8″. Definitely a great skateboard for beginners if you like the graphic and logo.

We would also like to point out one amazing detail about Plan B that makes it stand out from the other top skateboard brands, the deck technology that it uses. I already talked about how their decks are pretty strong and have minimal flex. But its other products like Plan B BLK ICE decks with wax used on their standard build decks to increase the speed and smoothness of skating a rail and the Flashback Series that uses prospect skateboard deck technology to make the boards thinner, lighter and stronger, are amazing!
Many musicians, painters and designers have explored their potentials through skateboarding. When you skate, your inner talents come out in many ways. Painters paint their decks with artistic sceneries and musicians sing while they are deeply involved in cruising through the smooth roads. People with graphic designing and photography passion bring out their skills by taking an incredible picture while skateboarding and edit them beautifully. Skateboarding no doubt polishes your skills!
If you’re a beginner and you want a board that gives you a little of everything to discover, you cannot go wrong with this ENJOI board. You get everything you need, all ready to go out of the box, and made with professional-grade components. The ENJOI also earns points for having that classic cool artwork on the deck that makes it fun to show off at the park.

The Atom has also improved its position from 4th to 3rd in 2018. You can trust these Longboards. They are continuously improving their product quality and increasing communication with general and potential customers. Correspondingly, they provide an opportunity for customers to select from a wide range of style, color, design and price to the customers. If the improving rate becomes constant, it will quickly switch to the upper position immediately.

Polar’s focus on its European roots and representing a type of skateboarding that everyone could relate to, plus Pontus’ masterful approach to video-making and product, created a groundswell of popularity for the brand which has retained its momentum. Mixing a heavy global team with an eclectic approach to soft goods, Polar is now viewed as one of the most influential brands in the skateboard industry as a whole.
Alex Olson’s Bianca Chandôn has quickly blurred and crossed back and forth between the line that currently divides high fashion and skateboarding, pushing an androgynous aesthetic inspired by looks found in Tom Bianchi’s Polaroid book Fire Island Pines, which nobody was ready for. Olson has turned what started off as an idea for a small board brand into a hype machine that has become a hit across the world.
Skateboarder owned and operated is Magenta's mantra. “No middle-man or business-person involved,” it says on the brand's site, so you know what you're getting from this French brand is pure, uncut skate to the core. All of the art direction and graphics are done by co-founder and team rider Soy Panday, who has developed a unique artistic perspective for Magenta. You'll likely to see numerous skaters kicking around on Magenta boards in NYC these days, and with a strong offering of T-shirts, coaches jackets, caps, and a funny boxer short collab with Lousy Livin, there is plenty to appreciate.
This board is also a very smooth ride, and surprisingly offers plenty of stability as well, which makes it safe for beginners to learn with. Finally, it’s one of the few boards on this list that comes in a huge array of styles and artwork so that you can get the board that suits your style best. If what you want is a board that looks and performs like the boards you see at sporting events, this is the perfect choice. The only downside is that it’s not the most flexible board out there, which could make it a little harder to ease into turns – however, this feature is what makes the board just right for learning tricks on.
Regardless of your skating ability or style, CCS is the definitive place for the best skateboard decks around. With hundreds in stock, take your pick from some of the sickest decks available! Alien Workshop, Baker, Deathwish, Element, enjoi, Girl, Welcome. WKND, Santa Cruz, Primitive, and Real are among the most popular offered. Additionally, notable brands such as Almost, DGK, Flip, Krooked, Alien Workshop, Skate Mental, Zero, Creature, and Chocolate are available for all your skating needs.
One of the skateboarding companies that are at the op is Almost Skateboards, founded by pro skateboarders Daewon Song and Rodney Mullen in 2003 and distributed by Dwindle Distribution. Both had ceased participating in their previous companies, Enjoi and Artafact, respectively. Almost is a brand that concentrates on fun and creativity but on also not taking oneself too seriously. The company produces decks made of 7-ply, 8-ply and carbon fiber constructions, bound with resin epoxy glue. The brand offers completes that include skateboards with the deck, wheels, trucks and bearings, as well as wheels, accessories and apparel. The team consists of Rodney Mullen, Daewon Song, Cooper Wilt, Youness Amrani, Yuri Facchini, Tyson Bowerbank, Fran Molina, and Mitchie Brusco.

The Wasatch Imports Good Skateboards is the ultimate compact and complete street board that is ready-to-go. It is great for exercise and fun. It is very portable and perfect for all skill levels. It has a variety of awesome vintage color combinations that you can choose from. It is made of topline construction, with a high-density plastic deck, 59mm super smooth wheels, ABEC7 bearings, and solid aluminum trucks. It measures 22″ long and 6″ wide and weighs 4 pounds. It has a full manufacturer’s lifetime warranty on all parts, pieces, and materials. It has a weight limit of 200 pounds which can ensure that bigger skaters can join the fun.

Powell Peralta has gained increasing popularity in the 1980s, when skateboarding became an increasingly more sought-after action sports. Since then, they have been developing skateboards tailored to customers, taking reviews and critiques into consideration every time they were building a new model. The Powell Golden Dragon is a direct result of such careful consideration and tailored-modeling.

Skateboarding has become a very popular means of transport over the years. Skateboards are great, no matter if you’re a student looking for a product to help you get around, a mother of two or just a skateboarding enthusiast. Getting around can be tricky, especially if your city is packed with traffic and fumes, and you don’t want to add to the problem. If you don’t mind cruising on the side of a pavement or a relatively clean road, skateboards can be a great way to have some fun and experience a new hobby.

POSITIV has begun to gain some serious momentum in the past years. They released an entire line of team completes in sizes ranging from 7.5-8.0″ at very affordable prices. This specific deck is 7.75″ so it is a comfortable size for all ages and weights. The great thing about this board is that it includes MiniLogo bearings and other pro brand parts. The deck also uses a rare waterproof sealant and slide coat to ensure that the deck lasts longer and slides smoother than other skateboards on the market. The overwhelmingly “positive” (no pun intended) reviews speak for themselves with this skateboard.

Powell Peralta has gained increasing popularity in the 1980s, when skateboarding became an increasingly more sought-after action sports. Since then, they have been developing skateboards tailored to customers, taking reviews and critiques into consideration every time they were building a new model. The Powell Golden Dragon is a direct result of such careful consideration and tailored-modeling.
Skateboarders like things that aren't skateboarding, too, you know. Camping, fishing, motorcycles… Uh, skateboarding? Crap. Whatever. Pro skater Adrian Lopez founded Loser machine and the Dark Seas Division as a way to explore other facets of the culture through cool clothing. Loser Machine is a complete collection that goes far beyond that typical tees, jeans, and hats formula that many skate apparel brands rely on—leather motorcycle gloves, denim vests, and floral print button-downs are all evidence that this is a well-conceived project from a skater with good taste.

“As far as the actual look of the vast majority of contemporary graphics goes, I’d say that it feels to me as if something has been lost. It’s down to what you can do with modern heat transfer printing techniques – you can literally just take a photograph from the Internet and print it identically straight onto a skateboard. Speaking personally, there’s very little to challenge you there: either from the point of view of creating graphics, or from the consumer’s perspective. Whereas back when screen-printing was the norm, every time a graphic was produced the artist was physically cutting the key line out by hand. The key line is the final black line that forms the outline of whatever it is that you’re printing and ties in all the other colours together. You can see this in the early Sean Cliver graphics for example, where it’s clear that he has hand cut the key lines as precisely as he was able to, but looked at from today’s perspective they’re not perfectly precise, which is what gives Cliver’s earliest stuff its specific look in my opinion.”

Krooked’s video release to date include ‘Krooked Kronichles‘ (2006), the experimental ‘Krooked – Gnar Gnar‘ (2007) only released on VHS in limited numbers, predating the explosion of interest in the outdated VHS format as foregrounded by brands such as Palace skateboards some years later, ‘Krooked – Naughty‘ (2008) and Krooked – Krook3D (filmed in both regular and 3D formats) (2010).

The best thing to do when getting a new board is to go to your local skate shop and talk to the people there -- they are usually very helpful. The guys at the shop will be able to tell you what board will be good for your skating needs. Keep in mind different people have different opinions on board brands. People say Plan B's are good, but I know others that say it's not. Some like DGK boards, some don't. Just test the board out and see how it suits you. You may want to double check this if you are being extremely careful with your selection.
Skateboarding has also become a major source of inspiration for high-end fashion brands, as they design their own interpretations of the skate culture and style from graphic T-shirts, five-panel hats, cropped, wide-leg pants, and skateboarding sneakers from the brands like Vans. But there’s no faking the original, and the brands that do it best are the ones that have a long-time heritage in the sport of the board, unlike the luxury labels simply trying to capitalize on the look.
After leaving long time sponsor Birdhouse due to a feeling of dissatisfaction at the manner in which he himself was being marketed as a pro skater, Andrew Reynolds joined forces with a group of similarly aged pro skaters, who at the time, all lived close to each other in Huntington Beach, California in the Warner Ave housing complex and resolved to turn what had formerly been a loosely affiliated crew into a skateboard brand. Reynolds approached Tony Hawk and Per Welinder, owners of Blitz Distribution (and distributors of Birdhouse) with his idea and, rather than losing Reynolds completely, Blitz Distribution agreed to assist Reynolds with Baker and to distribute it.